What happened this day in history February 17

What are the important events that happened on February 17? Here are historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.

February 17: Facts & Myths About This Day

February 17 is the 48th day of the year 2024 in the Gregorian calendar. There are 318 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Saturday.

Under the Julian calendar, this day is February 4, 2024 – a Saturday. Both day of the week are the same but did you notice the difference with the Gregorian calendar?

When this day started, 1,708,128,000 seconds has elapsed since midnight of January 1, 1970 – the Unix epoch.

Strange as it may, if we name this day after a polygon then it will be called ‘tetracontaoctagon’ day.

Aquarius is the zodiac sign of a person born on this day. Amethyst is the modern birthstone for this month. Bloodstone is the mystical birthstone from Tibetan origin that dates back over a thousand years.

According to the lunisolar Chinese calendar, there are 347 days remaining before the start of the next Chinese New Year.

The ancient Maya civilization believes that the end of the world will happen on December 21, 2012. There are now 4,075 days since this fabled cataclysmic event.

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February 17 Historical Events

  • 1809
    Miami University is chartered by the State of Ohio.
  • 1838
    Weenen massacre: Hundreds of Voortrekkers along the Blaukraans River, Natal are killed by Zulus.
  • 1864
    American Civil War: The Ship becomes the first submarine to engage and sink a warship, the USS Housatonic.
  • 1871
    The victorious Prussian Army parades though Paris, France after the end of the Siege of Paris during the Franco-Prussian War.
  • 1932
    New Year’s Day in Chinese calendar. Start of the year of the Water Monkey in Chinese astrology.
  • 1964
    Gabonese president Leon M'ba is toppled by a coup and his rival, Jean-Hilaire Aubame, is installed in his place.
  • 1978
    The Troubles: The Provisional IRA detonates an incendiary bomb at the La Mon restaurant, near Belfast, killing 12 and seriously injuring 30.
  • 1979
    The Sino-Vietnamese War begins.
  • 1996
    NASA’s Discovery Program begins as the NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft lifts off on the first mission ever to orbit and land on an asteroid, 433 Eros.
  • 2003
    The London Congestion Charge scheme begins.

Who were born on February 17?

  • 1754
    Nicolas Baudin, French explorer (d. 1803)
  • 1891
    Abraham Fraenkel, German-born Israeli mathematician and recipient of the Israel Prize (d. 1965)
  • 1922
    Tommy Edwards, American singer (d. 1969)
  • 1923
    John Marco Allegro, English scholar (d. 1988)
  • 1928
    Marta Romero, Puerto Rican actress & singer
  • 1938
    Martha Henry, American/Canadian actress
  • 1952
    Karin Janz, East German gymnast
  • 1970
    Tommy Moe, American skier
  • 1979
    Josh Willingham, American baseball player
  • 1983
    Kevin Rudolf, American singer-songwriter

Who died on February 17?

  • 1600
    Giordano Bruno, Italian philosopher (burned at the stake) (b. 1548)
  • 1609
    Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (b. 1549)
  • 1680
    Jan Swammerdam, Dutch biologist (b. 1637)
  • 1874
    Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quetelet, Belgian mathematician (b. 1796)
  • 1890
    Christopher Sholes, American inventor (b. 1819)
  • 1958
    Hugh McCrae, Australian writer (b. 1876)
  • 1986
    Jiddu Krishnamurti, Indian philosopher (b. 1895)
  • 1990
    Hap Day, Canadian ice hockey player and manager (b. 1901)
  • 2004
    José López Portillo, President of Mexico (b. 1920)
  • 2009
    Conchita Cintrón, Chilean bullfighter (b. 1922)

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